hello all.. i'm just trying to get a handle on everyone in here..so how long have all of you been out of the borg?
also how long was it till you got on here??.
lydia
I've been out for over a year, but only found this site a few weeks ago. I am currently living in Canton Ohio (famous for the Football Hall of Fame, not to mention summer long block parties in it's favor!).
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
i made it into gc.
how rude those people are.
as i am skimming through their posts, still on the announcements thread, i can see how silly they sound, now that i am on the outside.
I made it into GC. How rude those people are. As I am skimming through their posts, still on the announcements thread, I can see how silly they sound, now that I am on the outside. And it makes me smile to know that I am on the "outside." And yes, very very rude to anyone who holds an opionion. If it doesn't start out saying "The WTS says" then suddenly they pounce on ya. Now, how's that for brotherly love? Just found it amusing there tonight.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
is your anger with the jw religion due mainly to the fact that you have been df'd?
is it possible that persons who post here who are not disfellowshipped can feel as angry as those who are being shunned and who are therefore being effectively gagged?.
is the df'ing policy of the wtbts the main reason that ex-jw's seem to go all out to get other witnesses out of the org?
I was df'd at one time, but 5 months later was reinstated. I am now DA'd. I could not see being a part of a religion who allowed those in "power" to manipulate others' lives, to physically and emotionally abuse them (yes I'm a survivor, no longer a victum). Yes I still hold a grudge against the WTS, not JWs in general. Only the few who treated me so terribly. But that is something that all of us have to work through. It takes longer for some than it does for others. But I am feeling much better, just during the last few weeks of being here on the boards. At times I feel it drags me down, but for the most part it enlightenes me and gives me a chance to vent about my past (something I've never been able to do before).
And if I could get one person to leave, I would love it. But they would have to leave on their accord with very little involvement of me for me to have the truest satsifaction.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
i feel sorry for all jw's who get sucked in by the thinking "we will love you as long as you are good enough for jah.
" but, i feel worse for the children.
adults are able to decide for themselves, whether it's a religion that they want to persue.
Tatiana ~ My sister and I were the only witnesses at our school also, and in a small town to boot! At least untill high school, then another family who allowed their kids to go to public school moved to our town. Although, because they were closely related to one of the elders they were able to be involved in sports, etc, where the rest of us were not. Now that was hard. Try explaining to the kids at school why one witness child can do such and such, while you cannot.
I think that JW's expect too much of thier children, esp the really small ones. A child shouldn't have that kind of responsibilty on their shoulders all the time.
LOL, I bought my 3 year old a big bird costume for Halloween, now he decides he wants to be a ghost. He says he just has to....lol
Good for you FormerOne!
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
i feel sorry for all jw's who get sucked in by the thinking "we will love you as long as you are good enough for jah.
" but, i feel worse for the children.
adults are able to decide for themselves, whether it's a religion that they want to persue.
xena ~ I agree! My children are not going to die because of my decisions, they are going to live, live like we never were able to. They'll get to sleep in on the weekends, they'll be able to smile when they walk into school in the mornings. They'll be able to talk about riding bikes with their friends, instead of how they can't get ppl at the doors to listen to them and their messege (when they don't have a clue as to what they're preaching anyhow). They'll be able to watch that cartoon (after all it's their favorite) even though it is a super hero cartoon (all that violence, tisk tisk). I am so glad that I got out, for me, and for my children.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
i feel sorry for all jw's who get sucked in by the thinking "we will love you as long as you are good enough for jah.
" but, i feel worse for the children.
adults are able to decide for themselves, whether it's a religion that they want to persue.
I feel sorry for all JW's who get sucked in by the thinking "we will love you as long as you are good enough for Jah." But, I feel worse for the children. Adults are able to decide for themselves, whether it's a religion that they want to persue. Children do not. The children are forced to go along with it, by their parents. Then what happens when they are older and find out it's not for them?? They can't just walk away and that be that. Because of the WTS's policy of shunning. Once the children decide that it's not the "truth" and they want to search elsewhere, they are shunned. They had no choices before. But now, they are accountable for this decision, to leave. Why not hold the parents accountable for forcing their children into the religion?
Just thinking about this saddens me, esp knowing that my sisters are in this lifestyle and there's nothing they can do to avoid the shunning, but stay in.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
that i've been thinking about lately.. since jesus was a perfect man, how can anyone realistically be expected to follow in his shoes?
why use him as an example of standing up to tests and remaining faithful?
we are, after all, imperfect humans.. c.t.
Ash ~ I feel the same way, so weak. But now that I have broken my chains, I'm starting to explore. And it's quite interesting. I too want to get rid of the anger. You can't move on when you keep looking back.
teejay ~ yes, you may call me Sweetie... you crack me up.....
logical ~ ty. The ones in power (GB, Elders, MS, CO's, etc) are suppose to set an example for the rest to follow. Yet we are to be humble while they are not. Some things need no explaination, they are just wrong and backwards.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
in view of the jw reactions on items such as the ngo thing, harbouring child molesters, it made me wonder about what it would take for the average jw to really grasp that the gb, the org and lots of its doctrine is not what it claims to be.. personally i've experienced that after a longwinded argument with an elder about the validity of the 1914 doctrine, he eventually agreed that it wasn't as solid as he thought and that it could be incorrect.
did he see the light (or its absence)?
interestingly enough, he immediately added that even if all this were true/untrue, it would not invalidate his loyalty to the org & gb.
"Interestingly enough, he immediately added that even if all this were true/untrue, it would not invalidate his loyalty to the Org & GB. After all they were only humans. "
Yet the Bible teaches that we are to follow no man....so sad.
"Even if the GB, Bethel brass, or just local elders, would be catched with their pants down, in either moral, financial, legal, or any other wrongdoing, it doesn't really make a difference."
With the group, as a whole, no. But I feel that if I can help just one JW see the true light, it is worth all my efforts.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
that i've been thinking about lately.. since jesus was a perfect man, how can anyone realistically be expected to follow in his shoes?
why use him as an example of standing up to tests and remaining faithful?
we are, after all, imperfect humans.. c.t.
Ash ~ You are not just another stupid 22 YO kid. You should not refer to yourself that way, not even in jest. You were smart enough to feel the trap you were in and get out. Most in my former congregation would say that I'm not experienced enough to hold fast to the faith, being only 23 at the present time. They say that I am weak. I think that it takes more strength to leave something so powerful and controlling than it is to stay. As far as misguided, we all were. The WTS loves to keep everyone in the dark as to their true motive. But now, being out, we have the ability to research and study without their controlling influence.
The Proclaimers book stated on page 628, "Some allowed pride to undermine thier faith." I don't think it was pride, it is called a conscience. Who in good conscience could allow themselves to be dictated to follow such rules and regulations (the Branch division hand books list over 1,700) when clearly they are not in line with the Bible and it's true meaning? If it is pride, then I am proud to be filled with it!
Regards,
Shelly
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
that i've been thinking about lately.. since jesus was a perfect man, how can anyone realistically be expected to follow in his shoes?
why use him as an example of standing up to tests and remaining faithful?
we are, after all, imperfect humans.. c.t.
I had actually went to the library looking for "Crisis of Conscience" (of course the librarians assured me they would order if for me if I so desired) and decided to look up a number of things. When I saw the Proclaimers book in the "religions" section, it did make me chill and I did black out for a few seconds. Thankfully I was still standing when I came too....lol. But I have heard so many good points on this forum and thought I would start to dive in myself, as I can no longer trust the word of any man (or woman), from my previous experiences.
I too felt that it was awful that I should love some unknown deity over my parents. But now I see the errors of my ways! lol j/k Although I do realize now, just why the WTS teaches that now that I am no longer able to have contact with my mother. If she were able to freely associate with me, my findings may rub off on her and turn her from the orginazation. In all honesty, that's exactly what I'd like to see happen.
I am currently keeping notes on all my findings. I would like to send a letter to the PO of my former congregation explaining my position and why I wish to be as far away from the JW teachings as possilbe. When I sent in my DA letter, I offered no explanation, as I was doing it just to get away from the physical and emotional abuse I had suffered and they, of course, would'nt see that as just cause for my stand. I'm sure that they may not see my findings as just cause either, but it would make me feel better to know that it is out in the open.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matt. 5:6
